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Write Forward Coaching - Personalized Guidance for Fiction Writers

Your story, refined. Your skills strengthened.

Writing a novel is exciting and overwhelming. Maybe you have a brilliant idea but aren’t sure how to structure your plot. Maybe you keep second guessing your story’s theme or wondering if your novel’s word count is where it should be. Or maybe you just need someone to listen, help you brainstorm, and encourage you to keep writing.

That’s where I come in.

I help fiction writers of many genres—from thriller writers to fantasy authors to contemporary storytellers—develop their novels with confidence. Where you need a fiction writing coach to bounce ideas off of, guidance on genre conventions, or expert feedback on your manuscript, I’m here to support you.

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“Samantha was instrumental in helping me figure out the messy middle of my book. I am incredibly grateful for her feedback and encouragement. She is the best at finding plot holes and character inconsistencies. My book is infinitely better than it would have been without her help, and she is so much fun to work with.”

~ Laura Sandonato

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Sam Henke

Writing is personal. So is my approach.

Writing a novel is a big endeavor—but it doesn't have to be a solitary endeavor. As a professionally trained fiction writing coach and developmental editor, I’m here to guide you from story development to query-ready or self publishing ready masterpiece.

What Sets Write Forward Coaching Apart

  • Storytelling Expertise

    • Trained in coaching, developmental editing, and querying by Author Accelerator

    • Comprehensive understanding of genre conventions, story structure, and narrative craft as taught in The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know by Shawn Coyne

  • More Than Just Feedback—Become a Stronger Writer

    • There are no vague comments like “I like it” or “Something feels off” in my editing. My editing provides:

      • Specific, actionable feedback with next steps

      • Explanations of why something works, or doesn’t

      • Many opportunities to ask questions and discuss feedback so that your writing craft and editing skills improve for the future and not just your current work in progress

Who I Help

  • First-time novelists

  • Mid-career writers wanting to level up

  • Writers across fiction genres (thriller, romance, fantasy)

    • I don’t work with horror, sci-fi, epic fantasy, or steampunk

  • Authors preparing to query literary agents or self-publish

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“Samantha is amazing and a joy to work with! I am very happy with the feedback she provided on my manuscript. She is very detail-oriented and caught many important things I had missed. She gave me a clear way forward with revisions and even took the time to message me her thoughts and instant reactions to the book while she was reading. It was very heartening to hear she was enjoying it and her passion for her work really came through. Her enthusiasm and skill really motivated me to continue with revisions and, ultimately, with publication!”

~ Robin Nemesszeghy

How I Can Help You

My Methodology: Collaborative, Skill-Building, Supportive

  • Judgment-free support

  • Actionable storytelling insights

  • Preservation of your unique voice and message

  • Focus on skill development, not jus manuscript correction

Need quick help? Book a one time focused coaching session.

  • Get personalized coaching to help you finish (or start!) your novel with confidence. We’ll cover everything from plot structure and character development to theme, genre, and pacing. No question is too small and no worry is ever dismissed. I will work with you to create a story that works.

  • Note sure if your novel is working? A manuscript review offers detailed feedback on your story’s strengths and areas for improvement, along with my professional opinion on the level of revision your manuscript may need.

    A developmental edit goes even deeper, providing in-depth story-level feedback on plot structure, character development and arcs, pacing, dialogue, and more. With in-line comments, a comprehensive editorial letter, and four weeks of follow-up support, you’ll have the guidance you need to refine your manuscript from draft to polished novel.

  • Polish your writing while preserving your unique voice. I’ll refine your prose, improve dialogue, interiority, mood, tone, and clarity, so that your storytelling shines.

    This is not grammatical copy-editing. Line editing is strengthening writing through word choice.

  • Make sure to check out my resources page for free downloads and my blog for helpful writing, mindset, and publishing advice.

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“Samantha was an exceptional book coach. She got a great sense of me and my style and therefore found fantastic matches for my agent search. She went above and beyond in every way, from polishing my synopsis to helping write query letters. I would recommend her highly to any writer wanting to send their writing career into professional overdrive.”

~ Janet Lefley

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Author Accelerator is setting high standards for the emerging field of book coaching through rigorous training programs. The Author Accelerator book coaching certification course is in-depth and intensive. It includes a combination of video lessons, written lessons, and hands-on practicum work with real-life clients. As an Author Accelerator certified book coach, I am qualified to coach writers using Author Accelerator's strategy, methods, and materials, but I operate independently of Author Accelerator and am not affiliated with them.